What’s coming in the world of tech? Find out about the big new 8K TVs, the little headphones, and some other gadgets from the mid-year tech show, IFA. All in five minutes.
Transcript
It’s the beginning of September, and you’re tuned in to The Wrap, Australia’s fastest technology roundup, and we’re going to say something rather bold because it probably needs to be said: if you’re thinking about buying anything in technology, you might want to wait until this week is over.
There’s a great reason why: it’s IFA, the European technology show that serves as the mid-year CES. Kind of. Sort of. Not really.
While CES starts the year off and gives a glimpse as to what’s happening for the rest, IFA kind of gives you an idea on the gadgets coming to store shelves in time for the holiday season.
And that’s a bit of a reminder as well: there are only 16 weeks until the holiday season, so it makes sense for companies to show off what’s coming.
While IFA has only just begun, gadgets aren’t limited to just one category, with quite a few products being talked up.
Over in the computer space, Acer and Razer have given a glimpse of what you can expect, with more power in the Razer Blade Stealth 13 and Blade 15, while Acer’s 14 inch Swift 5 is apparently the world’s lightest 14 inch notebook with dedicated graphics.
There are also two workstation-breed laptops for Acer, big computers it calls the ConceptD range, with Pantone-validated displays and at least one wild design, but equally wild price tags, with five grand and higher.
In fact, prices this high for tech at IFA isn’t totally unheard of. There are often very big and very expensive TVs launching at the show, and this year is no different.
While it has no Australian release date, LG’s 88 inch 8K OLED TV is part of the release, providing the crazy 8K resolution to just-as crazy 88 inch size in OLED. This comes off the back of a 75 inch 8K LED-backlit LCD TV LG just launched in Australia for around $12,000.
Not to be outdone, Samsung is adding to the 8K Q900 it launched earlier in the year, looking to bring 8K to more homes. It first launched in 65, 75, 82, and 98 inches, and this year we’ll see a 55 inch model, too. That’s sure to bring the cost of entry into 8K down, which is fairly high to begin with.
And it’s not just TVs, either. There’s big happenings in sound, as well.
Bang & Olufsen joined the soundbar world with the Beosound Stage, the company’s first soundbar sporting eleven drivers configured for 3D sound using Dolby Atmos. It won’t be cheap at $2500, but it will deliver the B&O sound in a speaker made for the wall or just under the TV.
Sennheiser also has a pair of wireless headphones on the way, an updated take on the Momentum noise cancelling headphones, this time with wireless tracking built in thanks to Tile. They’re made with leather, include a 17 hour battery, and three buttons to make using them easy. They’ll be priced around $600 in November, joining another pair of noise cancelling Sennheiser cans, the $550 PXC 550 two.
Jabra is upgrading its Elite 65t, our pick for best wireless earphones last year, introducing the Elite 75t. They’re smaller and last longer, boasting more battery life and a design that aims to fit better in more ears. Plus they charge on USB Type C, and are priced at $299 with release October.
And Sony doesn’t have a replacement for its noise cancelling WH-1000XM3s yet, but it does have a colour pop coming to its Hear On noise cancelling WH-910N headphones, though they’ll miss the holiday season when they arrive in January. Just before that release, there’s a 40th anniversary Walkman digital media player that looks like a tape player because, yes, it really has been that long.
There are a few other gadget announcements from the week, such as the Ring Door View, a video doorbell made for folks who have a peephole in their door. It’s one part video doorbell, one part security camera, and yet still lets you use the peephole, arriving in stores for $299.
Philips will add to its Hue smart lighting range with something a little different, coming in a smart plug that turns any light into a smart light. It won’t change the colours like you might expect from the Hue range, but it should mean a lamp can become part of a Hue setup simply by existing, great if you can’t find a Hue bulb for a specific lamp, and for around $60.
And for something a little bit un-IFA, Android 10 has gone final, so if you happen to have a Google Pixel phone, you can upgrade to the latest version of Android, complete with its dark mode, similar to what iOS 13 will get.
As for the iPhone, if you’re waiting for Apple’s next phone instead of an Android, the announcement is next week. Maybe don’t buy an iPhone in that time. That’s our advice.
And that’s all the time we have for The Wrap, Australia’s fastest technology roundup. You can find out about what we’ve spoken about at the pickr.com.au website, and plenty more, too.
A new episode of The Wrap is found every Friday on Podcast One, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, but until then, have a great week. We’ll see you next time on The Wrap. Take care.
